Rutherford County woman charged in murder-for-hire and kidnapping plot

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, N.C. — A Rutherford County woman is facing charges in connection with an alleged murder-for-hire plot and kidnapping scheme.

According to investigators, Shelly Owensby paid and agreed to have her ex-girlfriend’s new partner killed and her ex-girlfriend kidnapped.

According to search warrants and court documents, Owensby allegedly made a $500 down payment to a confidential informant to demonstrate she was serious about the plan.

Deputies said an undercover officer spoke with Owensby by phone and met with her in person before making the arrest over safety concerns.

Deputies said the meeting with Owensby was secretly recorded. Investigators made the arrest at Owensby’s home in Rutherford County, where officers conducted a two-hour search in April and seized a cell phone from her vehicle.

Owensby worked as a certified nursing assistant in both Morganton and Newton. Former colleagues expressed surprise after learning about her arrest.

“I was actually really shocked. Me and a couple of other people that she works with we never thought she would do that. She was always sweet, she was always caring, she was always helpful. She never seemed like she was pile hurt anybody,” the former coworker said.

Owensby’s attorney filed a motion in court claiming that police entrapped her.

Defense filings state that she was induced to commit the charged offenses and was not predisposed to carry out a murder-for-hire plot.

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